Maduro Laughs Off Opposition’s Attempt to Remove Him from Power

Nicolás Maduro admitted he would ignore any measures passed by the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

TODAY VENEZUELA – “I am President of Venezuela by constitutional mandate,” Nicolás Maduro said in response to the National Assembly ths voted by majority to remove him from office.

Maduro reiterated through a television broadcast that he will continue to preside over the country despite the fact that Parliament tried to dismiss him with a new measure on Monday, January 9.

“The actions of the National Assembly regarding the abandonment of my office makes me laughs,” he said during the swearing in of the “Anti-coup Command” chaired by Vice President Tareck El Aissami. It was created to seek out and prevent attempts to overthrow his presidency.

In that same speech, he also called for peace, and asked that officials not submit to provocation.

“I call the revolutionary people to work,” he reiterated, while also admitting he will ignore any measures approved by the opposition-majority parliament regarding his office.

“I am the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela by mandate of the people and with the people I will continue here defending peace, protecting the people and developing the economy,” he said.

“Take note of the consequences of the call to a coup that that gang approved yesterday in the National Assembly, a gang that kidnapped the National Assembly and that uses the precincts of the National Assembly in contempt of the law to promote a coup d’etat.”